A longtime worship leader in his home state of Kentucky, singer/songwriter Matt Case was also no stranger to writing his own original material. In 2019, he made the decision to put his originals to use and record his debut album, If You Need Me. The seven songs on this EP showcase a talented artist with a love for the Lord that's displayed in worshipful and humble tracks like "How Could He," which asks, "How could the nails pierce the skin of my Lord / how could these hands press the crown that He wore / how could my sin require His death on that tree / oh wretched soul, how could Christ still love me?" Songs like this remind of acts like Casting Crowns. One of the highlights of the EP is "You've Always Got Me," a love song for Case's wife. It's a really sweet waltz that paints a beautiful picture of the partnership of marriage, as Case describes how the two help each other instead of coming from just one side. I particularly enjoy the chorus: "You always got me through the brokenness/ and the loneliness, and the heaviness that makes life a mess / let me show you what you mean to me." Not only are the lyrics really precious, but it has a great, catchy rhythm as well. If You Need Me is a solid debut from this longtime musician. There are times where I thought songs could have benefitted from having a bit more instrumentation to sound fuller, but otherwise, it's a pleasant batch of songs, and I wouldn't mind hearing more from Case in the future.

- Review date: 1/27/20, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com